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A nano super hero

Scientists come in all shapes, sizes and colors. One of the super heros of nanotechnology died last week. Mildred Dresselhaus. Who? Dresselhaus was one of the pioneers in the discovery of carbon nanotubes and predicted their existence long before anyone even saw one. Carbon nanotubes are nanometer-sized tubes consisting entirely of carbon. Her contributions to science are many and she is among the most recognized scientists in the field. Dresselhaus worked on graphene and the field of thermoelectrics which has a number of different important applications. How important was her contributions to science and also the promotion of women in science? In 2014 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom! An award given that year to individuals as diverse as Meryl Streep (actress), Charles Sifford (golfer) and Stevie Wonder (song writer). Stevie Wonder and Mildred Dresselhaus, how cool is that?